Tecate/Mexico

Tecate/Mexico is just a few miles from San Diego. You drive for about an hour and arrive in a different world. Although located adjacent to the U.S. border, Tecate is not along the tourist-route. It is one of the most authentic, charming Mexican towns in all of Baja. Local people live their everyday-life there. And this life is not easy. To be precise, for most people life is a struggle there. But what you see are vivid colors, what you hear is music. Everywhere. These people have a different approach to life. They play music and dance even at sad occasions. Their clothes and houses scream of colors! I don't want to be demagogue but we - more fortunate people - could learn a few basic things from them: what is important and what is not...
We were in Tecate on Sunday. Here - after church- everybody gathers in the shadows of large trees in the main Plaza. Native Mexican Indians sell their crafts, locals are socializing, playing games, relaxing or just watching people. Mariachi bands play at the tables (but never bother you so aggressively as in Tijuana)... It is just so peaceful here - I felt myself in a different era. Some says "not much to do here" - no shopping, no galleries, no fancy restaurants, cafes... It is true. But I would say just being there, seeing these wonderful hard-working people, just "doing nothing" what all we need sometimes. Just get out from our comfort zone - and we will be more comfortable with it next time.
And next time we must check out the famous brewery too!:)

2011apr.Tecate, a set on Flickr.

Tecate/Mexiko csak nehany kilometer San Diegotol. Kb 1 oras vezetes utan egy teljesen mas vilagba erkezunk. Annak ellenere, hogy ez egy hatarmenti kisvaros, megsem valt turista attrakciova. Itt a helyiekkel talalkozni, s nem turistakkal. A helyiek elik a mindennapi eletuket - s az elet nem konnyu errefele! Az emberek tobbsege megelhetesi gondokkal kuzd. De megis egeszen mas a hozzaallasuk - mas a tulelesi strategiajuk. Itt mindig es mindenhonnan zene szol, a legnyomorusagosabb haz is "csakazertis" vidam szinekben pompazik, itt enekelve temetnek, tancolva unnepelnek. Nem szeretnek demagog lenni, de mi -akiknek tobb szerencse adatott - tanulhatnank toluk nehany alapdolgot..mi fontos,mi nem....

Vasarnap voltunk Tecateban. Itt delelott templomban vannak az emberek, majd osszegyulnek a Fo-teren. Az indianok aruljak a kezmuves portekaikat, ferfiak sakkoznak es mindenfele tarsasjatekoznak ( soroskupakokkal:)) , mariachi zeneszek szorakoztatjak az asztaltarsasagokat,(sosem tolakodoan!), az emberek egyszeruen csak beszelgetnek, elvezik egymas tarsasagat....Az egesznek van egy nagyon bekes, meghitt hangulata! Van aki azt mondja, "nincs mit csinalni Tecate-ban"....Igaz. Nincsenek boltok, aruhazak, puccos ettermek, kavezok, galeriak...De ugy erzem, pont ez amire igazan szuksegunk van idonkent. Eleg csak kicsit megallni, kicsit kimozdulni a kis komfort-zonankbol. Csak elvezni a jelent, egy teren lenni ezekkel emberekkel egy vasarnap delutan. S orulni, hogy mindez megadatik.